Crossing for overhead wires



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J. KUE-HNLE. CROSSING FOR OVERHEAD WIRES.

No. 426.452. Patented Apr. 29, 1890.

\A/itqesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KUEHNLE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CROSSING FOR OVERH EAD WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,452, dated April29, 1890.

Application filed March 11, 1890. Serial No. 343,641. (No model.)

To all whom; itmay concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN KUEHNLE, a subj ect of the Emperor of Germany,residing at Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Crossings for OverheadElectric Tractionires and other WVires, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in crossings forwires of electrical traction and other purposes; and the inventionconsists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, all asmore fully hereinafter described, and shown in the drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a plan of my crossing; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section online on a: in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of the crossing withthe insulating-connection removed.

A Aand B B are the terminals of two electric wires which cross eachother on the same plane at an angle, and the crossing is designed toform an electrical connection between the respective terminals of thewires to mutually support the wires and insulate them from each other,and also for the purpose of allowing a trolley to pass the crossing,providing said crossing is of the kind to make contact on the under sideof the wires. To this end the terminals of the respective wires aresecured in any suitable mannersuch as by means of the couplings Oto theends of a pair of metallic bridges constructed in the following manner:I preferably use a strong wire for the purpose and bend it in the formshown-that is, each of the bridges is formed with two vertical loops D,which form upward bends in each wire. In one of the bridges the twoloops are connected by the horizontal connection E, integrally formedwith the bridge,

and the other by a horizontal section F, which is in a different plane,preferably near the top of the loops. These bridges, being thusconstructed, are secured in relation to each other at the proper angleof the crossing by inserting a block of insulating material G betweenthe four loops. By wedging this block firmly between the loops the twobridges areheld in required relation to each other dependent upon theform of the insulatingblock, which, if it is made square, will hold thetwo bridges at right angles to each other. To prevent the accidentaldisplacement, I preferably form the cross-bar F of one of the bridgesquite near the upper end of the loops and form in the insulating-block acentral depression to receive said cross-bar. Then an extra piece ofinsulating material II is used .to cover the cross-bar on top, and maybe held in place by a binding-wire I, or in any other suitable manner.It will be seen that by thus connecting the bridges they are not onlyheld in firm relation to each other an d mutually support the wires, butall danger of metallic' contact is positively avoided.

In using such a crossing for the under side trolleys of electrictraction-wires, I place upon each arm of the crossing a lancet-shapedguideplate J whichI secure thereto in any suitable manner. The points ofthese plates being turned outward, the approaching trolley will beengaged with its peripheral flanges by the first guide-plate which itmeets and be carried safely to the opposite arm of the crossing, and bythe guide-plate on said crossing into 0011- tact with its wire on theother side of the crossing. The flanges of the trolley will pass throughthe loops of the other bridge without coming in contact therewith.

By using a block of rubber for the insulatin g material the connectionwill stand a great deal of wear and tear and impart a certainflexibility to the crossing, which will prevent its being injured underthe varying contingencies of use.

The whole device is inexpensive, and is a safeguard for crossingelectric traction-wires, electric-light wires, and other wires withoutdanger of metallic contact, and will be found of great use.

Instead of the couplings 0, other means may be employed for connectingthe terminals of the wires to the arms of the bridges.

I intend to make this crossing as an article of manufacture,with thecouplings and everything attached thereto ready to connect to the wires.

It is obvious that by changing the form of the insulating-block thebridges of the cross ings maybe joined at any desired angle.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a crossing for electrical Wires,the metallic bridges, each formed With double loops connected by across-bar in different planes and joined together by a block ofinsulating material secured between the respective loops and cross-barsof the bridges, substantially as described.

2. In a crossing for electric wires, the metallic bridges, each formedwith a pair of up- Wardly-projecting vertical loops connected bycross-bars in different planes, the interposed insulating-block, and thesecuring-wires, substantially as described.

3. In a crossing for electrical Wires, the metallic bridges, each formedof Wire with a pair of upwardly-proj-ecting vertical loops connected bya cross-bar in different planes, respectively, the couplings at the endof the arms, and the insulating-block secured between the loops andcross-bars, substantially as described.

February, 1890.

JOHN KUEHNLE. Witnesses: I

M. B. ODocHERTY, P. M. HULBERT.

